Acetylene-gas-generating lamp.



No. 693,069. Patented Feb. ll, I902.

E. M. ROSENBLUTH. V AGETYLENE GAS GENERATING LAMP.

(Application filed Feb. 4, 1899.) (No Model.) 2 Sh etsSheat I.

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No. 693,069. Patented Feb. 1|, I902.

E. M. ROSENBLUTH. ACETYLENE'GAS GENERATING LAMP.

(Application med Feb. 4, 1899.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets S heet 2.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFF CE.

EDI/VIN M. ROSENBLUTH, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ACETYLEN E-GA S -G'EN ERATING LAM P.

SPECIFICATION forming part 'of Letters Patent No. 693,069, datedFebruary 1 1, 1902. Application filed February 4,1899. Serial No.704,482. (No model.)

To rtZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN M. ROSENBLUTH,

of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Acetylene-Gas-Generating Lamps, whereof thefollowing is a specification, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings. I My invention relates to a gas-generating lamp wherein thesupply of water is stored below a charge of gas-producing chemical, towhich the water is uplifted by the capillary attraction of an absorbentmedium, means being provided to control the upward flow of water throughsaid medium without movement of the latter, as hereinafter moredefinitely specified and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein I have shown a convenientembodiment of my invention in a portable lamp, such as may beconveniently used upon a bicycle or similar vehicle, Figure 1 is acentral vertical sectional View of the lamp, taken on the line 1 1 ofFig. 2. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the lamp, a portion of theflame-casing being broken away to show details of its construction. Fig.3 is a plan sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Figs. 1 and 2. Fig.4. is a fragmentary plan sectional view showing the construction of theflame casing bracket. Fig. 5. is a perspective view of the wick-tube andthe controlling-valve. Fig. 6 is an end view of the carbid-cartridge.

In said figures, Ais the casing wherein the charge of carbid is retainedand the gas generated. Beneath the casing A is fixed the water-casing B,forming the base of the lamp structure. The flame-casing 0 extendslaterally from the casin g A in fixed relation with both casings A andB, and the bracket D, fixed upon the casing A, serves as a support forthe entire lamp structure.

The casing A is provided with studs a to engage the inclined slots a, inthe internal flanges of the removable cap A. Partial rotation of saidcap suffices to compress the washer A and seal said casing, and thespring a serves to prevent displacement of the charge of carbid.

The casing B is charged with water through the inlet b and'said water isuplifted to the casin g A by the wick B which fills the wicktube B andextends through the valve B which controls the flow of water to thewick. Said valve B is mounted for rotation in the valve-casing B whichis in fixed relation with the wick-tube B and serves to rigidly connectthe floor B of the casing B with the floor A of the casing A. The valveB extends through the floor B and is provided beneath the latter with anoperating-lever B .As best shown in Fig. 3, the valve and valvecasingare respectively provided with similar ports 6* and b which in theposition shown are registered to admit the maximum amount of water tothe wick. It is obvious, however, that rotation of the operating-lever Bin the direction of the arrow upon Fig. 3 serves to reduce the area ofthe water-inlet. Movement of said lever B to the position indicated at12 serves to completely close the valve and exclude the water from saidwick.

I prefer to make the valve B of conical form, as shown in Fig. 1, forwhen so shaped it may be conveniently adjusted in its seat by means ofthe screw-plug B, the flange b of which bears upon the operating-lever Bwhich in turn bears upon the projecting flange b of the valve-casing BSaid plug B not only serves, as aforesaid, to adjust said valve withinits casing and maintain the operating-lever B in proper relationtherewith, but also serves to close the opening b in the bottom of saidvalve, through which the wick B may be conveniently withdrawn andreplaced when said plug is removed. The provision of an opening throughwhich the wick B may be conveniently removed is a valuable feature ofconstruction, inasmuch as the efficiency of the wick B is aifected byits continued use, rendering the occasional renewal thereof desirable.

The upper extremity of the wick-tube B is notched, as indicated at b inFig. 5, so that the flow of water through the laterally-projecting topstrands of the wick may not be restricted by pressure of the carbid uponthe same. tube B presents the wick above the floor A of the casing A,which is inclined and the wick-tube B provided with apertures b on alevel therewith, so that any moisture con-v densed within the casingAwill gravitate toward the wick-tube and drain therein. The

The notched extremity of the wick- ICO aforesaid means for draining thecasing A serves to maintain the latter free of moisture, except such asis directly absorbed by the charge of carbid and generated as gas.

The gas generated in the casingAis delivered to the burner C in theflame-chamber 0 through the tube 0 fixed in the casing A, and theproducts of combustion are discharged from the casing Othrough thechimneyG.

The burner-tube 0 extends through the bracket 0 which serves to rigidlysupport the casing C from the casing A, said casings being also rivetedtogether, as shown at c. The bracket 0 is recessed at c and perforatedat 0 so that the burner O is cooled by. the passage of air around it, insuch manner, however, as not to cause the flame to flicker.

The flame-chamber C is conveniently provided with a reflector G which,as shown, is of the type forming the subject-matter of Letters Patent ofthe United States No. 606,028, granted to me on June 21, 1898. Saidchamber is also provided with a glazed door-front C and glazed sideopenings 0 It is obvious that the mechanism above described servesto-control the upward capillary flow of water from the casingB to thecasing A regardless of the disposition of the carbid in the latter. Itis well known, however, that the introduction of carbid and the removalof the carbid-ash from a gas-generator is facilitated if the carbid issupported by a removable receptacle or is comprised in what may betermed a carbid-cartridge. Attempts have hitherto been made to preservecarbid from the deteriorating effects of air and moisture in cartridgescomprising perforated shells and temporary coverings more or lesswaterproof, the latter designed for removal at the instant of insertingthe cartridge in the gas-generator. I have found that such a method ofpacking carbid in cartridge form does not, suffice to exclude moisture,much less air. To facilitate the use of carbid in the generator abovedescribed, I have devised the peculiar form of carbid-cartridge shown insection in Fig. 1, wherein E is an imperforate outer shell having a neckor necks E, which when not in use are provided with means, such as corksE to hermetically seal the same. The neck E also serves to inclose thewick B protruding within the casing A, and to so confine and direct theflow of water within the cartridgeshell E as to insure the maximumoutput of gas therefrom:

The carbid is supported within the shell E by the porous diaphragm 6,extending across the neck E. Said diaphragm serves to evenly distributethe water received through said neck, but when in direct contact withthe flat surface E of the shell E (see Fig. 6) the flow of water seemstobe restricted by the pressure of the carbid. Therefore I find itadvantageous to corrugate the end walls of the shell E in ribs eprojecting within the shell to uphold said diaphragm, and permit thewater to pass freely therethrough.

In order that the carbid F may have room to expand within thecartridge-shell E, I provide a movable partition e in the latter,supported in normal position by a readily-compressible solid fillingmaterial, such as organic or mineral wool G, which may be absorbent. Thematerial G serves to maintain the carbid in proper position to readilytake up the moisture delivered to it by the wick B and at the same timeyields gradually under the pressure of expansion of the carbid until thelatter has produced its quota of gas.

In generators of the type to which this invention belongs itis foundthat the rate of production of gas is diminished as the dis tancebetween the source of water-supplyand the active carbid is increased. Itherefore find it advantageous to so construct the carbidcartridge Ethat the opposite ends thereof may be alternately presented to the wick,so that when the carbid at one extremity has been fully consumed that atthe other extremit-y may be presented and the light maintained Withoutsubstantial diminution until the full capacity of the carbid isexhausted. Aside from this feature of uniform production of light such adouble construction of a carbid-receptacle is economical, in that whilea comparatively large charge of carbid may be maintained in the casing Aonly a portion of it is subjected to'the deteriorating effects ofmoisture if it is desired to extinguish the light before the entirecharge is exhausted. On the other hand, if the light has beenextinguished with the charge at one end of the shell partially consumeda bright light may be immediately obtained upon opening the water-valveif the cartridge has been reversed.

I do not desire to limit myself to the precise details of constructionherein set forth, as it is obvious that various modifications may bemade therein without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claimp 1. In an acetylene-gas generator, a carbidchamber, awater-chamber, a wick extending from said water-chamber within saidcarbid- 'chamber,a rotary valve surrounding said wick and arranged tocontrol the supply of water thereto, an opening through said valve, ar-

ranged so that said wick may be withdrawn therefrom,anoperating-handlefor said valve, and a removable plug arranged to adjust said valve inits casing, to secure said handle upon said valve, and to normally closethe wickopening in said valve, substantially as set forth.

2. In an acetylene-gas generator, a carbidchamber, a water-chamber, awick extending from said water-chamber within said carbidchamber,arotary valve surrounding said wick and arranged to control the supply ofwater thereto, an opening through said valve arranged so that said wickmay be withdrawn therefrom, and a removable plug arranged to normallyclose the wick-opening in said valve, substantially as set forth.

3. In an acetylene-gas generator, a carbidchamber, a water-chamber, awick extending from said water-chamber within said carbidchamber,arotary valve surrounding said wick and arranged to control the supply ofwater thereto, an opening through said valve arranged so that said wickmay be withdrawn therefrom, and a removable plug arranged to normallyclose the wick-opening in said valve, and serving to adjust said valvein its casing, substantially as set forth.

4. In an acetylene-gas generator, the combination with a water-chamber,of a carbidchamber having a downwardly-inclined floor fixed above thewater-chamber, a wick-tube extending from said water-chamber within saidcarbid-chamber and terminating above said inclined floor, and a lateralopening in said wick-tube at its junction with said floor, arranged sothat liquid upon said floor shall drain within said tube, substantiallyas set forth.

5. In an acetylene-gas generator, the combination with a water-chamber,of a carbidchamber fixed above the water-chamber, a wick-tube extendingfrom said water-chamber within said carbid-chamber, and terminatingabove the floor of the latter, a wick in said tube, and a notch in theupper edge of said tube arranged to receive a laterally-projectingportion of said wick, substantially as set forth.

6. In an acetylene-gas generator, the combination with a water-chamber,of a carbidchamber, fixed above the water-chamber, a wick-tube'fixedlyconnecting the fioor of said water-chamber with the fioor of saidcarbidchamber, and terminating above the latter, a lateral inlet to saidwick-tube from said water-chamber, and a valve arranged to control theflow of water from said waterchamber through said lateral inlet to saidwick-tube, substantially as set forth.

7. In an acetylene-gas generator, the combination with a water-chamber,of a carbidchamber fixed abovethe water-chamber, a

wick-tube in fixed relation with said two chambers, a wick in said tube,a water-outlet in the top of said wick-tube within said carbid-chamber,an outlet at the bottom of said wick-tube, opening to the atmosphere,and arranged so that said wick may be withdrawn therefrom, a removableplug arranged to normally close the bottom opening of said tube, and avalve arranged to control the flow of water from said water-chamber tosaid wicktube, substantially as set forth.

8. In an acetylene-gas generator, the combination with a water-chamber,of a carbidchamber fixed above the water-chamber, a wick extending fromsaid Water chamber within said carbid-chamber, a removablecarbid-cartridge fitted to said carbid-chamber and provided with a neckarranged to inclose the upper extremity of said wick, and a valvearranged to control the flow of water from said water-chamber throughsaid wick to said cartridge, substantially as set forth.

9. In an acetylene-gas generator, the combination with a water-chamber,of a carbidchamber fixed above the water-chamber, a wick extending fromsaid water chamber within said carbid-chamber, a removable andreversible carbid-cartridge fitted to said carbid-chamber, and providedat each end with a neck arranged to alternately inclose the up perextremity of said wick, and a valve arranged to control the flow ofwater from said water-chamber through said wick to said cartridge,substantially as set forth.

10. In an acetylene-gas generator, acarbid-' chamber, a water-chamber, awick extending from said water-chamber within said carbidchamber, arotary valve surrounding said wick, and arranged to control the supplyof water thereto, an opening through said valve, arranged so-that saidwick may be withdrawn therefrom, a removable plug for said opening, andan operating-handle for said valve, substantially as set forth.

EDWIN M. ROSENBLUTI-I.

Witnesses? ARTHUR E. PAIGE, CLIFTON C. HALLowELL.

